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Artist Profile: The Fly Fishing Art of AD Maddox

AD Maddox has impressed the fly fishing community for many years with her vividly colored and detailed oil paintings that emphasize many of the beautiful aspects of fly fishing. AD recently took time to interview with The Venturing Angler:

What attracts you to use your extraordinary painting skills to depict fish?

The color of the trout flowing in with the water. If you really look at it … it’s daunting at first glance. How do I paint this? … One stroke at a time. My viewpoint of a painting is an adventure in that I’m communicating a concept written in paint. I know each artist has their own tech to make it as efficient as possible however my pieces vary except for the trout skins. It’s like solving a giant puzzle to produce a masterpiece and the challenge of aligning water in with the subject attracts me.

What is your favorite medium?

OIL … oil and more oil. The movement of this medium is so forgiving. It’s easiest for me to work with as the drying time is at least a day.

Do you have a fish that you especially like to paint or draw? What is it about that fish?

Brown trout are my favorite with the rich greens and yellows adding the colorful red/orange spots with blue halos. Browns are the king of color balance and of course their kypes make them rather formidable in appearance. Brooks are second on the list but the two have a similar palette. Rainbows and cutts follow close behind.

Your work has appeared in many places over the years. Is there a place you especially enjoy seeing your work?

Yes I’ve had many wonderful people in this industry promote my work in various ways. That special place I love seeing my work is on magazine covers. It’s the highest compliment and validation for all the work I’ve put into that piece.

When you are on the water, what do you love to fish for the most?

BROWNS … again it’s the color and they are so different in appearance depending on where I’m fishing. Rainbow are the next on the list.

What new pieces do you plan to create?

For the last 6 years I’ve been painting rise series and some close-ups. My palette colors have been high intensity. I’m currently working of trout in the water from a distance and changing my palette to more earthy tones rich in browns, greens and blues. There’s a few bright gold ones in the cue but I’m going to see what the response is to this new line. Going back to the basics of how the adventure began will be very grounding. I want to see how I can rework this foundation into a new line created mostly from my imagination after I have the structure of the trout in place. As you can see from my work I always find new ways to paint a trout.